Andrew was walking through the doorway when the porch rattled, wood snapping, and the entire world shifted out from under his feet.

The monster had somehow gotten onto the roof, bounding off it and landing between them. Andrew held a shaky certainty that it wouldn’t do anything to him as long as he held Kate. That was probably why its back was to them.

Instead, it was focused on Ryker and Nikki.

“I won’t hurt her again,” Ryker said, blood bubbling from his bisected lips. “You can kill me if you want, but I won’t hurt her.”

Ryker pushed Nikki behind him. “If you’re connected to Katy, go the fuck away so we can get her out of here and to a hospital before she dies.”

The creature stared at him for a moment, its massive head tilted as if considering his request. Andrew felt the tremendous heat coming off Kate, wondering if the same fever was eating the monster alive. If so, how long before it collapsed just as she had?

Ryker held up his hands to show the creature he meant no harm. “Please, just let us take care of her. She can’t stay here.”

With a swipe of its hand, Ryker’s head was separated from his neck, spinning end over end until it landed by the fire pit, bouncing several times and rolling under a bush.

Arterial spray showered the creature and Nikki as she screeched.

Buttons again wailed, his cry chilling Andrew’s spine, but he refused to attack the beast.

Andrew kicked the monster in the small of its back. Kate, though still unconscious, arched in his arms. It fell down the stairs, knocking Nikki into the rail. She somehow managed to keep her footing, rushing up the stairs and following Andrew into the cottage. He slammed the door closed with his foot and set Kate on the mattress.

Nikki was in hysterics. Her husband’s blood stained her face, dripped from her hair, splattered her clothes. She screamed and screamed, hands balled into fists, running around the cottage and knocking into everything in her path. Andrew tore himself from Kate’s side and had to practically tackle his sister-in-law. She shouted in his ear so loudly, he could only hear a high-pitched ringing immediately after.

There was nothing to say. He could only hold her to keep her from hurting herself and wait to see if she could calm down. He wasn’t sure he would if the same had happened to Kate, if he were wearing her blood, still warm to the touch.

When he saw them in the mirror, they looked like they’d just emerged from a swim in the runoff tank at a slaughterhouse. They had become the face of madness.

We are mad. How can we not be? How can any of this even be real?